EACH one of us is a work in progress. The shaping, the chipping away at the carving and the trimming of the nonessentials are never finished. However, as we grow older we see the hand of the Potter and we become grateful. We realize that the work of art is getting to be more beautiful. Most of the time it is beauty that starts from the inside then pours out through the eyes and through the way we communicate with fellow travelers.
I have been asked this question once, “What is the value of a dream?” Because I was young then, my answer was “A dream is really priceless.” I once dreamt of a prince who would sweep me off my feet. I got swept away all right, but my prince got caught by another princess. Sad but true! Did I still dream after that painful experience? Sadly no! However, one moves on and the human spirit, the will to be a part of the living can be very inspiring as one matures. Every experience now becomes part of the Potter’s design to help us become a beautiful work of art!
The discipline of daily meditation helps us to gain true wisdom. Since wisdom is also known as a wholeness of spirit whose core is love, we become an endless fountain of love.
Let me give you an example of what happened to me recently. There is an old woman who frequents the grounds of the church where I worship. When she is hungry, she raves and rants. Those of us who know her give her money to buy breakfast. She runs to the store to eat and when she comes back, she becomes very lucid and clear in communicating with us.
Last Friday, before the 5:30 p.m. mass I found her lucid, sitting outside the adoration chapel. I asked, “Kumusta man ka?” Her answer was: “Morag sagbut nga gitapaktapakan. Way nagpangga.”
I saw her eyes start to swim in tears. So I patted her arm and said, “Pinangga man ka namo diri! Diay gamay nga kwarta para sa panihapon.”
She sniffed and said, “Busog pa ko.” Then she continued and said, “Tinuod? Pinangga ko ninyo?” The wistful look she gave me was such that it pulled at my heart. Here was a woman in her mid-30s who needed love more than food. She prefers to talk to us instead. I sat down for a while to talk to her and the warmth of my love must have reached out to her because she gave me a spontaneous big hug and shooed me away. “Pinangga sad nako ka. Lakaw na kay ma-late ka sa misa!”
Here was a human being who could return to the land of the living if only she felt that she was loved. As I left her, this thought came to my mind. There must be many like her who are roaming the streets in search of the curative power of love.
Maybe a good reminder to very busy spouses could be this. You might ply your kids with food all you can. However, more than food or comfort, a show of love is what makes them beautiful people.
You and I have seen so many well-behaved children who have parents who know the value of love. There are parents who in spite of their office work still are “hands-on” parents. They prepare their children for school, eat breakfast with them. In the evenings they eat dinner with their kids and spend quality time with them. Sundays are spent with their children and they are always ready to listen even to questions that have seemingly no answers at all.
Jesus showed us so much love while Jesus walked with us. His disciples felt His love that they were not afraid to die for this kind love.
Today there are a great number of beautiful people who become works of art because they not only have felt God’s unconditional love but have spread that love to others too. Do you feel that you have become a beautiful product of art because of the presence of God’s love in your heart?
Blessed are you if you have become aware of the power of that love which has transformed you into the beautiful person you are today!